ONLY for posters who have been watching BHA for 40+ years...

[Diego Napier]

I've only supported The Albion for 31 years, I'm feeling left out on this thread. Can I join in? Please, please. Pretty please.

31 years? Some of your posts are rather hot-headed. If you start to act a bit more like us 40+'ers you should be ok.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Been watching the Albion for 57+ years and though I prefer the ups, I'm prepared for the downs, but this season is too young to know whether our recent upward cycle has ended - lets wait and see what comes in, and how it's used before we consider the worst.

 

[The Andy Naylor Fan Club]

31 years? Some of your posts are rather hot-headed. If you start to act a bit more like us 40+'ers you should be ok.

Sir, I have been called some things in my life, amongst others C@#t, b#stard, low life mother f#@ker, but never "hot-headed" I feel so hurt. I am going to take my "hot-headed " views over to the Sammi Hyppia thread.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Been watching the Albion for 57+ years and though I prefer the ups, I'm prepared for the downs, but this season is too young to know whether our recent upward cycle has ended - lets wait and see what comes in, and how it's used before we consider the worst.

53 years for me, but I feel the same way. It's the bad times that make you appreciate the good times all the more.

 

[rudolf hucker]

Stated for me in 1966. Division 4. So I guess I fit into this thread. We old timers have seen it all, Hereford to stay in the league, Newcastle to go up to the top flight. First game back in Brighton when we stated at Withdean, and day 1 at the Amex (I choose to blot out the bad times ). There are not many other clubs that can have seen so many highs and lows over the years. Can you remember that first season in "division 1" when we lost 4-0 to Arsenal and Liverpool and their fans hardly cheered because they just knew they would win.
I think the problem is that all of a sudden many have started to think this is it, this is the start of something big. Many of our fans are thinking like those clubs supporters and expect to us to win automatically. But we don't. Ho hum welcome to reality.
I really hope Sami can sort it out, I pray we can get some players that we give us the football we crave for. But we don't have a Devine right to it.

 

[The Truth]

Wow, an age restricted thread!

Never thought I'd see the day.

 

[cheshunt seagull]

41 years. For me it's simply a case of having realistic expectations based on the context of a current situation and recent history. When we were in the Championship at Withdean survival was an achievement as it was in the division 2 at Priestfield. With state of the art facilities, the highest prices and largest crowds in the Championship you do not expect a downward trajectory of quality on the pitch and the prospect of a relegation struggle. We would be remiss as fans in not making it clear to the current custodians of the club that they are failing to do their job if this happens. It is early days but I am worried and pretty pissed off at what looks, at best, like complacency.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

43 years. Today's performance brought back memories of the early 70's and to some degree our downward spiral in the 90's.

 

[catfish]

Ok - so things aren't going too well at the moment. But compared to some of the really awful times over the years it ain't really THAT bad. Is it?

 

[Ringmer Seagull]

41 years. For me it's simply a case of having realistic expectations based on the context of a current situation and recent history. When we were in the Championship at Withdean survival was an achievement as it was in the division 2 at Priestfield. With state of the art facilities, the highest prices and largest crowds in the Championship you do not expect a downward trajectory of quality on the pitch and the prospect of a relegation struggle. We would be remiss as fans in not making it clear to the current custodians of the club that they are failing to do their job if this happens. It is early days but I am worried and pretty pissed off at what looks, at best, like complacency.

Absolutely spot on. 43 years for me and have been through some very grim times. The fact is that with everything at our disposal now we should not be in this position. I retain the hope that we may save the season by getting some quality in by the end of the window but I am not holding my breath. By the way , I worry about talk about this being a " transition" season or " treading water". In its present form this team will be relegated and thankfully most of us have now worked this out before it's too late.

 

[warmleyseagull]

50 years in November. TBH, I make no apology for being a little faier weather - lived in Bristol for 30 years and going regularly to Withdean on a five hour return journey was asking too much of my loyalty so was away fan only for many years, though now a STH in east Stand.

Any fan of any club knows it is a roller coaster - ask Wolves fans. Albion are probably more so than many but certainly not unique. I am sure those of us who have been round the block with BHA over the years do wonder at the short termism of many posters on NSC. It is not all rosy at the moment and I am not of 'never had it so good' school - the club has had a big investment and should be batting at higher echelons of Championship, but there are times when you go backwards. Think of Alistair Cooke. That's the nature of sport and why we all love it. If it was predictable we would be bored.

 

[Fef]

With respect, Oscar was appointed 5 weeks before the season kicked, our squad was fairly lacklustre last season despite the 6th place finish. That squad has since been completely dismantled and what we are left with is remarkably weak first Xl and a transfer policy which seems to be failing.

With respect; you are quite right - but it is still hardly a down cycle, is it? It's just a little blip - which I hope will be fixed soon.

 

[glasfryn]

52 years
not that I mind flirting with relegation, because that is part of football, what I don't like is when we shoot ourselves in the foot and not by accident either, it does look like a deliberate act, but I will leave it until 1st Sept until I explode quietly

 

[Seagull on the wing]

I have been a supporter for 60+ years and the despondancy this season is due to the expectations generated by TB and co. One thing that is certain we will never sink as low as under George Curtis.

That is so true...he was manager(?)..... when I first went aged 19...seems a lifetime ago....onwards and upwards.

 

[spanish flair]

I have been a supporter for 60+ years and the despondancy this season is due to the expectations generated by TB and co. One thing that is certain we will never sink as low as under George Curtis.

59 Years for me now and I do agree about George Curtis, he ranks as possibly the poorest manager in my time of supporting the club.

 

[Joe Gatting's Dad]

When I first started watching in the late fifties, we had never been promoted.

Even then the first three away results were Middlesbrough 9-0 (Cloughie scoring 5); 5-0 Liverpool and 3-0 Stoke - yet we still finished mid-table.

Still 44 matches to go!

 

[Worried Man Blues]

First game sometime in 68 and it's been brilliant all the way, great traumas and great delights, and now we now have a great stadium. The only downside at the moment is the expectation that comes from management, Premiership ready, the team will be this, that or the other has created ridiculous expectation from us customers. Keep the faith.............

 

[Phat Baz 68]

I've been an Albion supporter going to my first match in 1974/5 when I was 5 years old so 41 years now V Palarse strangely
enough so I believe I have a right to criticise or praise when I feel like it.
We have now , the chance within our grasp of the Premier League that is being ****ed up one or two at the club.
FFP as an excuse is bollocks and a very weak argument.
We have an inept CEO, Manager and a the weakest squad since setting up home at the Amex.
Problem is a lot of people on here don't want to hear what the truth is and will say Bloom , Barber, Burke etc can do no wrong , sorry to piss on your parade but they can. why should it take moaning and wailing until they start to buy players, if indeed they even do.
We need at least 6/7 quality players people and that is the stark truth of this shite situation we find ourselves in at the moment.
Hopefully we will do this by the end of August, but what if we don't ?
What then ?
Will the Board can do no wrong nutters still be saying " well wait till the January transfer window " everything will be fine.
WAKEY WAKEY!!!!!